Allegations surface of bribery involving lawmakers and Philippine construction companies in the flood control controversy

In a shocking turn of events, allegations of corruption within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and several construction firms have surfaced during a Senate hearing on Monday (Sep 8).

The focus of the hearing was on graft in flood control projects, following weeks of deadly flooding in the Philippines. President Ferdinand Marcos, in response to the escalating issue, recently released a list of 15 firms holding the most contracts.

During the hearing, Philippine construction firms admitted to bribing 17 lawmakers and officials from the DPWH to secure government contracts. The owners of the second and third firms on the list named 26 lawmakers and officials they claimed to have made cash payments to.

However, the names of the 25 additional lawmakers and officials mentioned by the owners of the first two companies remain undisclosed. The search results do not provide the identities of these individuals, leaving many questions unanswered.

Business owner Pacifico Discaya II stated that they were used by people in power, with their company being forced to comply with demands ranging from 10% to 25% of earmarked funds. The business partner and wife of Mr. Discaya claimed that the cash payments were made against their will.

The accusations have led to a wave of denials from several lawmakers named by the business owners. Despite the denials, DPWH officials, engineers, and lawmakers are under scrutiny for their role in the alleged corruption.

President Marcos has also been actively involved in the investigation, visiting sites across the country to confirm non-existent projects marked as completed. The scrutiny of so-called ghost projects has intensified following President Marcos's state of the nation address.

The hearing comes at a critical time for the Philippine government, as it seeks to address corruption and improve infrastructure development in the country. The Senate is expected to continue its investigation into the matter in the coming weeks.

Allegations surface of bribery involving lawmakers and Philippine construction companies in the flood control controversy